Universal joint



Jan. 16, 1962 w. E. DAVIS 3,016,721

UNIVERSAL JOINT Filed April 14, 1960 2 Sheets-Sheet l WILLIAM E. DAVISINVENTOR.

9 M BVMW BY www ATTORNEYS Jan. 16, 1962 Filed April 14, 1960 III! III2018 III! IIIII le UNIVERSAL JOINT W. E. DAVIS IIII III

FIG. 2

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 l FIG. 4

FIG. 3

WILLIAM E. DAVIS INVENTOR.

BVMW BY CLMQ AJM ATTORNEYS tor Company, Dearborn, Mich., a corporationof Dela- Ware Filed Apr. 14, 1960, Ser. No. 22,333 1 Claim. (El. 64-21)The present invention relates to universal joints ano more particularlyto constant velocity universal joints.

In certain applications Where it is necessary to transmit rotatingmotion from one shaft to another shaft angularly situated relative tothe first shaft, conventional universal joints, such as the Cardanjoint, are not acceptable. For example, where the angular relationshipof the two shafts 1s great or varies greatly or where a smooth even flowof power is desired as in the drive line of an automobile, a constantvelocity universal joint is required. Such a joint maintains the angularvelocity of the input member equal to the angular velocity of the outputmember regardless of the angular relationship of the two members.

Therefore, it is an object of the present invention to provide aconstant velocity universal joint which is char acterized by itssimplicity of construction and economy of manufacture.

More specifically, the present invention provides a univetsal jointhaving a ball and socket connection of its driving and driven membersand a pair of trunnions associated with the end of each member whichcomple ment the interior surface of a spring positioned intermediatemember.

These and further objects of the present invention will become moreapparent from the following description and the accompanying drawings,in which:

FIGURE l is an elevational view partly in section of a universal jointconstructed in accordance with this invention.

FIGURE 2 corresponds to FIGURE l with the joint partly disassembed.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along section line 3-3 of FIGURE l,and

FIGURE 4 is a sectional view taken along lines 4-4 of FIGURE l.

Referring now to the drawings for a more detailed understanding of thisinvention, FIGURE 1 discloses a constant velocity universal joint whichconnects a driving shaft with a driven shaft 12.

The joint has an input member 14 which is joined to the driving shaft1i) by welding. Similarly, an output member 16 of the joint is welded tothe driven shaft 12.

The inner end of the output member 16 is provided with a coaxial bore18. The inner end of input member 14 is provided with a ball 20 which isreceived within the bore 18. The ball 20 may be formed as the end of astud and threaded into the end of the input member 14. A pair ofhemispherical socket pieces 22 and 24 provide a bearing for the ball 20and are positioned within the bore 18 and held in place by a snap ring26.

The end of the member 16 is provided with a pair of opposed trunnionswhich carry a pair of trunnion blocks 30. As seen in FIGURE l thetrunnion of member 16 is shown partly in section and is indicated by thereference numeral 23. Trunnions 2S rotatably support trunnion blocks 30by means of needle bearings 32. Similarly as seen in FIGURES l and 3,the end of input member 14 is provided with trunnions 34 which carrytrunnion blocks 35 by means of needle bearings 38.

The trunnion blocks 30, 36 are of generally cap shape having an endsurface of hemispherical configuration and flat sides so as to provide asquare shape in sectional view (FIGURE 3).

The trunnion blocks 30, 36 are carried within a sleeve nited Statesarent O ICE assembly 40 which constitutes the torque transmitting mediumbetween the trunnions 34, 36 of the input member 14 and the trunnions28, 30 of output member 16. The assembly 40 includes va cylindricalpiece 42 which holds a bearing member 44 for the input trunnion blocks36 at one end and a. bearing member 46 for the output trunnion blocks 30at the other end.

A pair of closure plates 48, 50 form the ends of the assembly 40. Aseries of machine screws 52'secures the closure plates 48 to the bearingmember 44. Closure plate Si) is similarly fastened to bearing member 46.

As seen in FIGURE 4, the closure plate 48 is of gener-ally keyhole shapehaving a central hole 54 and a pair of radially extending cutawayportions 56 which permit the plate 48 to pass over the end of the inputmember 14 with the trunnion blocks 36 passing through the cutawayportion 56.

As also seen in FIGURE 4, the bearing member 44 is bored out in afashion similar to the cut-out portion of the cover plate 48. That is,it has a central bore 58 and a pair of radially extending grooves orsplines 60. The splines 6l) receive the trunnion blocks 36.

In assembling the universal joint of FIGURE l, a spring 62 is passedover the input member 14 until one end rests against a shoulder 64 atthe juncture of the input member 14 and the driving shaft 1l). The coverplate 48 is then slipped over the end of the input member 14 and turned90 degrees so that the slots 56 are out of alignment with the trunnionblocks 36.. Similarly, a spring 66 is slipped over the end of the outputmember 16 and cover plate Sil placed in position with its radial slots9G degrees out of alignment with the trunnion blocks 30. Next the torquetransmitting assembly 40 is slipped over the end of the output member 16so as to force the cover plate 5G to compress the spring 66.

Socket part 24 is placed in the bore 18,. the ball 20 is positionedagainst the socket part 24 and the second socket part 22 is positionedin place by snap ring 26. In the fabrication of this device the ball 20may' be formed as the head of a stud which is threadably received in theend of the input member 14. This construction permits the socket part 22to be put in place before the stud carrying the ball 20 is threaded intothe end of the input member 14.

After the ball and socket ends of the input and output members 14, 16are secured, the intermediate assembly 40 is released under the pressureof the spring 60 so that it will center with the bearing splines ofbearing member 46 in alignment with the trunnion blocks 3) and thebearing splines 60 of bearing member 44 in line with trunnion blocks 36.The cover plates 428 and 50 are then secured by screws to the bearingmembers 44, 46.

The assembly is then complete and assumes the configuration as disclosedin FIGURE l. As an additional improvement, a rubber boot 63 may beplaced over one or both ends of the universal joints to maintain thebearings 32, 38 free of dust. While only one boot 68 is shown in thedrawing for illustrative purposes, it is likely that in actuality a bootWill be provided for each end of the joint. v

The foregoing description constitutes the preferred embodiment of thepresent invention and illustrates a simpliiied constant velocityuniversal joint. Without the requirement for complex curved surfaces thecomponents of the joint can be manufactured by conventional machinetools. The bearing splines, such as 60, are formed with hat surfaces andare therefore easily manufactured. The two springs 62 and 66 serve tomaintain the torque transmitting assembly 4i! in a central position. Thepairs of trunnions 28 and 34 are positioned uniplanar.

While the present invention has been described in detail, suchconstruction is for the purpose of illustration 3 and not limitation.Modifications may occur to those 'skilled in the art which will comeWithin the scope vand spirit of the appended claim.

I claim:

A constant velocity' universal joint having driving and driven members,concentric ball and socket means interconnecting ,the ends of saiddriving and driven members, each of said members having at least onepair of opposed radially extending trunnions, said pairs of trunnionsbeing positioned uniplanar, a torque transmitting member interconnectingsaid pairs of trunnions, said torque transmitting members comprising apair of bearing members each receiving the trunnions of one of saiddriving and driven members, said bearing members having an axial keyholeopening corresponding generally to the cross sectional congurations ofsaid driving and driven members at their trunnions, a cylindrical piecejoining said bearing members, cover plates closing the open end of saidbearing members, said cover plates having an axial opening correspondingto the opening of said bearing members and positioned 90 out of phasetherewith, and a pair of springs centering said torque transmittingmember, said springs each being interposed between one of said coverplates and one of said driving and driven members.

Trbojevich Jan. 9, 1940 Sampson Nov. 6, 1951

